Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to an inertial sensor, for example, an accelerometer or a gyroscope, of a magnetic type. The present disclosure moreover relates to a method for operating the inertial sensor.
Description of the Related Art
Known to the art are inertial sensors such as accelerometers and gyroscopes for detecting linear or rotational movements, or accelerations, to which the systems that use them are subjected.
Inertial sensors 1 of a known type (see, for example, FIG. 1) are typically manufactured using MEMS technology and comprise a package 2 that encloses the active part of the inertial sensor 1, including a suspended mass 3a subject to stresses. A fixed mass 3b, not subject to said stresses, is set in a predefined position with respect to the suspended mass 3a. According to embodiments of a known type, portions of the suspended mass 3a form respective capacitors C with respective portions of the fixed mass 3b. The relative displacement of the suspended mass 3a from the fixed mass 3b causes a corresponding variation in the capacitance of the aforementioned capacitors C. Said variation of capacitance is correlated to the amount of the relative displacement between the suspended mass 3a and the fixed mass 3b and is used for detecting parameters corresponding to the movement to which the system that encloses the inertial sensor 1 is subjected (for example, in the case of an accelerometer, acceleration).
It is evident that other inertial sensors (e.g., gyroscopes) can operate according to principles different from the one described above.
In any case, irrespective of the particular embodiment of the sensor, the electrical signals generated as a result of the relative movement of the suspended mass 3a with respect to the fixed mass 3b, are supplied to an ASIC 6, or to a generic microcontroller, so as to be processed. For this purpose, electrical connections 7 are provided, generally formed, for example, by means of wires (wire-bonding technique), which connect pads 8a of the inertial sensor 1 with respective pads 8b of the ASIC 6. Said electrical connections 7 are the cause of excessive occupation of space, in addition to being subject to possible failure. Moreover, the electrical connections 7 typically comprise gold or copper, and are hence costly.